Crockpot Lasagna

OK, this recipe is good if you really have no time to put together a traditional lasagna & want to eat it that night. Also, if you have no luck with lasagna noodles, this is your recipe! It was ok for me. It was filling, my hubby liked it enough but 2 bothersome things- the "crunch" on top of course is missing & al dente? Ha! The noodles are VERY well cooked. Still, if you want lasagna fast, without much prep, make this:
<3 Lishie

Crockpot Lasagna

• 1 lb.  ground beef
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large can (24 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 container  (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 2c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4c  grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 egg
• 2 TBSp  chopped, fresh parsley
• 6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Brown meat in large skillet until most of the pink is gone, then drain & return to stove. Add in onion & garlic. Stir in sauce & oregano. Simmer for 20 minutes.  Mix ricotta, 1-1/2 c mozzarella, 2 TBSp Parmesan, egg & parsley.
Layer into Crock-pot:  Meat sauce/noodles (broken to fit)/spread cheese mixture. Meat sauce/noodles (broken to fit)/spread cheese mixture. Meat sauce/noodles (broken to fit)/spread cheese mixture. Cover & cook on slow for 4 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses & allow to melt before serving. 

Parmesan~Potato Gratin

This makes for a delicious, warming side for any dish! Try it with the baked paprika drumsticks- they can be made at the same time. Time saving indeed!
<3 Lishie

Parmesan~Potato Gratin

• 2 large potatoes, cleaned & peeled
• 1 c ricotta cheese
• 1 c shedded parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp herbs (can use anything here herbs de provence, oregano, basil, etc.)

Grease a small, oven-proof casserole dish. Mix the cheeses & herbs in a small bowl. Using a mandoline OR slicing extremely thinly, create thin potato slices.
Begin layering- potato slices, spread cheese, potato slices, spread cheese, etc., ending in the cheese. Sprinkle more parmesan on top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top is browned.

Lemon Basil Pesto over Cavatappi & Broccoli

The last days of summer are simmering down up here but it is still deliciously warm outside... And we are still reaping the benefits of our garden as well as Jersey's best produce. We are the Garden State!!! Along with the gorgeous basil from our garden (pop-in-law's green thumb!) we have delicious farmer's market lemons... And for our side salad, a gigantic cucumber from Aunt-in-law's garden! (the green thumb runneth in that family!!! Her eggplants were humongous too! YUM! And fresh, Jershey tomatoes from pop-in-law's (our) garden. 

While hubby grilled some chicken outside, I made this easy, cool & refreshing pasta that can be served hot, warm, room temp OR cold! DeLish.

<3 Lishie

Lemon Basil Pesto over Cavatappi & Broccoli

• 1/3 c  pine nuts
• 2 c  fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled 
• S & P
• 1/2 c grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2c  good, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• 1 lb Cavatappi pasta
• 1 head of broccoli florets

Toss the first 5 ingredients into the food processor. Process! As the ingredients combine... drizzle in the olive oil. It is done when it is the consistency you prefer... Scoop it out & fold in the lemon zest & juice.

Meanwhile cook the pasta al dente... The last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli into the boiling pot with the pasta. Drain all & combine with the pesto & serve. ENJOY!

Swap ~ Vegetarian

It's the middle of July!!! Half my birthday month flew by... how did that happen? Well I will move on & enjoy the rest of this glorious summer. This post is our bi-weekly Swap from my National Cooking Board, put together by Sarah from A Taste of Home Cooking (THANK you, Sarah!) I love, love, love these swaps & the subject was Vegetarian. I always am looking for a great veggie dinner for when my sister visits & I love my veggie meals too so I was ecstatic. I got this gem from Mary Ellen... & I saw quinoa. Now, I am really not a fan of quinoa (to the extent I pronounce it Quin-Noah purposefully- it's Keen-wah.) When I saw Mary Ellen had a recipe she wanted to share I became ecstatic again. Her blog is great! That, combined with my hubby's need to eat better/lower his cholesterol... And I made it. And it was yummy. Not "I cannot wait to eat quinoa again yummy" BUT it you love or like the grain, MAKE this. It came out moist & tasty. The only thing I will interject here is that this was a hard one for the summer for me- turning on the oven (to roast the garlic) in 100 degree weather like we've had (even with a/c) was awfully hot & tough. But the outcome was delish. Thank you, Mary Ellen!
<3 Lishie (btw- I gave my Round Pasta)

This is Mary Ellen's Italian version of quinoa:

Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, and Spinach from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

• 1/2 c quinoa, rinsed and drained (it is important to rinse quinoa to wash off any residue which can be bitter in taste)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, I like them for some kick)
• 2 tbsp dry white wine
• 1 c vegetable broth
• 1/2 bulb roasted garlic (about 6 cloves), chopped
• 1 small tomato, seeds removed and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp shallots, chopped
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a pot
Add shallots and red pepper flakes and saute for 1-2 minutes
Add quinoa and stir for 1-2 minutes
Add wine and stir until absorbed (wait until you see how the quinoa jumps around in the pot when liquid is added!!)
Add broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover. Let simmer until broth is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.
Once the broth has absorbed, stir in the roasted garlic, tomatoes, spinach, and cheese.
Serve immediately.

Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe

My hubby is not one for veggies much either. And I love them. So when he decides to have steak, I make what I want for me & G... I wanted broccoli this week. So I made a ton of this great, "Easiest Pasta & Broccoli" Recipe from Skinnytaste to eat 2 days straight. Yep. And it is GOOD. Make it- it is kid-friendly & Lishie-friendly (same thing ;) )


<3 Lishie

Easiest Pasta and Broccoli Recipe

from Skinnytaste (Gina's Skinny Recipes)

• 12 oz uncooked pasta (I used capellini broken up into little pieces...)
• 6 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets, no stems
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• salt and fresh cracked pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When water boils, add pasta & broccoli at the same time & cook according to pasta instructions for al dente. When pasta is almost done cooking, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water & set aside. Drain pasta & broccoli.

Return the pot to the stove & set heat to high; add 1 tbsp olive oil, when hot, addgarlic. Cook until golden, reduce flame to low & add pasta back to the pot.

Mix well, add remaining olive oil, grated cheese, salt & pepper to taste mixing well & smashing any large pieces of broccoli to break up.

Add 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water & mix well adding more if needed.

Serve in pasta bowls with additional grated cheese on the side.

Sunday Dinner

Is there something that you always make & always look forward to eating as a family? Something that you will never tire of having? We have a few “somethings” like this but I have to say, nothing else exists that comes close to a huge pot of sauce & homemade meatballs.  This is other-wise known as “Sunday Dinner”. And yes, I am Irish. Ha! But my hubby is Italian. His mom makes the most delicious sauce…  & when we have hers, well she adds in sausage & braciole (A thin slice of meat, usually wrapped around a stuffing & cooked in its own juices). Well, for this Irish-woman, I have to say, I make a prêt-tee GOOD sauce!!! And my meatballs… Heavenly spheres on a plate…

I changed my meatballs up a bit this Sunday. Oh they were the same, huge size… But I made them caprese-style… Just add pasta & good, crusty bread. Oh we love a dab of cold ricotta on the side too!

What is your Sunday tradition?

<3 Lishie

Caprese Meatballs

• 1lb. ground beef (80%)
• 1/2 c bread crumbs
• 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c shredded mozzarella
• 1 clove minced garlic (I microplane it)
• 2 TBSp fresh Basil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c AP Flour, for dipping/dredging
• 2-3 TBSp olive oil *add more between batches if needed

Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Add the next 6 ingredients onto the top of the beef, ending with the egg. Using your hands, gently fold all of the ingredients into the beef, combining them but not overly mixing them. Shape into 8 good sized round mounds.

In a saute pan, heat the oil on medium-high.

One batch of raw meatballs.

On a separate plate, place the flour for dipping. Using tongs, dip each meatball into the flour, gently tapping off the excess (flour). Place into the heated pan, 4 meatballs only in the pan at a time. Now watch the meatballs carefully- do not let them brown too much or burn... roll each around to make sure they equally brown on all sides. This technique "seals" the meatballs together, keeps them intact once they hit the sauce & allows for a delicious, juicy interior!

After the first 4 meatballs are "sealed", add them into the simmering sauce, covering them in it. Then repeat with the last 4 meatballs. Once all 8 meatballs are in the sauce simmering away, stir. Then allow your sauce to simmer for a minimum of 3 hours!!! Stirring every 15 minutes if the stock pan is on the stove. If in the crock-pot, leave be & stir at the very end. I allowed this evening's to simmer for 8 hours.

Go here for the Sauce recipe.

Quickest Pasta Ever

Yes, the quickest pasta ever. How? With, prepped ahead, compound butter. I love this pasta a little too much ;) Here's a secret... I am not much of a meat eater. I eat a bite here & there, but, for the most part, I am a "sides eater". I could overdose on veg & literally have! Having crohns, fiber is my enemy so pasta... Well, pasta is an angel.

<3 Lishie

Angel Hair Pasta w/ Compound Butter Sauce

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 c Parmesan, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Parsley, chopped, for topping
• Angel Hair pasta (or any other thin pasta)

Ahead of time... Mix together well the butter, parmesan, garlic & salt. Firmly wrap it in plastic then refrigerate. Allow to harden. 

When ready to use... Cook pasta... Drain... Add compound butter to hot pasta & toss until the butter melts, creating the sauce. Top with parsley & more parmesan.

Recipe Swap~ Holiday Favorites

How is it that I always get so lucky with my swaps?! This time, I received Sarah, over at "A Taste of Home Cooking"'s Holiday Favorite Appetizer: Asparagus with Fried Egg and Pecorino (but I used Parmesan). First off, I will say, I made it as an appy for one because my hubby does not eat asparagus... & the thought of an egg on the veg? No way! Oh well, more for ME! Ha ha ha!!! Because this was delicious. When I breakfast out at the diner, I love to order eggs over easy... grab my fork & let the yolk burst & flood over my hash browns, envelope my bacon... soak up into my toast... So this.was.perfect. YUMMY. And please excuse my asparagus, I wanted them as crispy as the edges of the egg! DeLish! Thank you so much Sarah!!! 

<3 Lishie 
PS- I gave my potato pancakes because I love to make them for Chanukah (Yes, I am Catholic, lol!)  


Asparagus with Fried Egg and Pecorino
from A Taste of Home Cooking

• 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed 
• salt and pepper 
• olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 2 eggs 
• Grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Toss asparagus with salt and pepper and olive oil. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the asparagus is tender to your liking. 

Meanwhile, heat butter in a small skillet. Add eggs and fry to your liking. 

Remove asparagus from the oven and divide into two bunches. Top each bunch with a fried egg. Grate cheese on top and serve immediately. 

Lishie's Lemon Spaghetti

Growing up in Florida, with citrus trees in my backyard, I discovered a love for lemons. They have so many wonderful qualities- aroma, taste, acid to emulsify, cleansing... it's hard not to use them all of the time. A very easy recipe is my lemon spaghetti. Now Giada De Laurentiis has a lemon spaghetti (say it like her: spah-get-TEE!) recipe but I promise you, I had this long before she introduced hers. Mine, like most of my "recipes" is probably different each time. When you are cooking with lemons, their taste & amount of liquid they produce varies so you really cannot "measure". Here's what I do:

Cook a pound (one box) of spaghetti to box directions. I love thin spaghetti but really, it can be any pasta. 

In a bowl, zest one to two lemons depending on your taste. I usually do two... Juice the lemons into the bowl. Usually the two lemons will make a nice amount of juice but depending on their size, you may need a third. While whisking, add extra virgin olive oil to emulsify the dressing (combine it) little by little. Taste it to see if more is needed, then add more, or don't! Cooking's not a science, baking is. Grate or add grated parmesan to the mixture. I only add about 1/4 cup because I love to sprinkle a LOT on later. Add S & P to taste... Sometimes I add chopped, fresh parsley or basil. Whisk well.

Using a slotted spaghetti spoon, transfer the pasta directly from the pot, HOT, into the bowl with the lemon "sauce". Toss well & serve hot or room temperature. This pasta even tastes great cold!

Yes, it's that easy! And DeLish. Enjoy!

<3 Lishie

Easy Parmesan Knots

Happy "Monday-after-Thanksgiving" people! :) Now you may be surprised at this but, my family is not a good leftovers type family. So we don't live off Thanksgiving for days to come. We don't waste it, we just do not morph the turkey into new creations because, for one thing, turkey is great but not every day. So I made new things over the weekend & decided to try these easier than easy garlic knots I had seen on Pinterest. If you are not on Pinterest- go look now: 

Pinterest (Lishie's)

If you need an invite, comment below with your email & I will send you one!

The garlic knots were so tasty I cannot wait to make them again!

Easy Parmesan Knots

adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

• 1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. Roll each biscuit into a 12-in. rope & tie into a knot; tuck ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; brush the warm knots with the mixture. Yield: 8 knots.

For another Pillsbury-type creation, a sweet, try my Cinnamon-Sugar Knots, 

&/or Mini Cinnamon~Walnut Pinwheels .

 
<3 Lishie

Spinach Basil Pesto Sauce~ on Pasta

As I have stated before, we are a family that thrives on freshness... on homemade dinner cooked with ingredients fresh from the garden or the farm. Then there's something truly special about dinner. For me, it's not a sacrifice to cook from scratch; it's only one if I don't. So I meal plan on Sunday & shop but sometimes, not everything works exactly that way. This week was more impromptu & because of that, I have a beautiful package of fresh, baby spinach that was beginning to wither. The best thing to do? Use it.

Here's a from-scratch recipe that takes at most 10 minutes but is nutritious & absolutely delicious (& saved my baby spinach):

Spinach Basil Pesto Sauce

• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 7 oz, fresh, baby spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic, peeled 
• Kosher Salt & pepper
• 3 tablespoon grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup good, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Toss all of the ingredients sans the olive oil into the food processor. Process! As the ingredients combine... drizzle in the olive oil. Sauce is done when it is the consistency you prefer! 

*Lishie tips~ Get all of the ingredients together (& washed) first. Then begin. 

Bright green goodness!

While you are making the pesto, place a pot of water on to boil. Make your favorite pasta to go along with the pesto. YUM. 

The best thing about this recipe? Can't say because 1) It's easy 2) It's quick 3) It's relatively inexpensive 4) It's delicious 5) It's nutritious ~ Lots of green! 6) It can be eaten hot or cold & 7) It's great for BBQs & outside since there's no mayo! And the garlic keeps it fresh.  8) Oh, did I also mention it's fine to make ahead & it stays fresh refrigerated?

Artichoke Pasta Salad

One of the necessities of summer? A quick, simple, "go to" dish that is delicious & packed with flavor but doesn't require drudging over the stove, near the oven or even, gasp, over the grill! Our family, including my toddler, LOVES this. I especially love it because it is oh so fast... & yummy! Plus it is great as a side salad for a bbq, since there's no mayo & you can very easily add fresh mozzarella or steamed veggies or roasted red pepper... even grilled shrimp or sliced grilled chicken to the meal!


We love it like this: 


Lemon Artichoke Pasta

• 1/4 cup extra virgin Olive Oil
• lemon zest/ juice from 2 fresh Lemons (make sure they are not too tart!) 
• 1/4 grated Parmesan Cheese
• Kosher Salt & Pepper
• 1 TBSP each of fresh, chopped Parsley & Basil
• 1 lb. cooked Pasta (*I love farfalle for this & this is the ONLY cooking of the entire recipe!)
• 2 cans of artichoke hearts, I cut them into quarters (you can also used frozen, just thaw & warm in the microwave)

Whisk the olive oil, lemon zest & juice, parmesan, S&P, parsley & basil in the bottom of a large bowl. 
Add the artichokes & lightly toss. When the pasta is cooked, I add it steaming hot & toss all of the ingredients together like it's a salad... The lemon scent wafts from the bowl!!!


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